The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for centrifugally separating a sample for use in a sample centrifugal separation analysis system.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for centrifugally separating a sample and an apparatus for the same for use in a sample centrifugal separation analysis system such as in a clinical inspection (biochemical analysis) field, in which a centrifugal separation section for the sample is carried out automatically by employing a rotative centrifugal separation shaft.
In the present invention, an adapter having a sample tube is installed on the sample centrifugal separation shaft, and the adapter is transported from the sample centrifugal separation section to the sample analysis (test) section by the rotation of the centrifugal separation shaft. In this sample centrifugal separation section, the sample is centrifugally separated.
The method and the apparatus for centrifugally separating the sample is applicable to the sample such as blood, blood serum, and urine in a biochemical field.
In a conventional sample centrifugal separation analysis system such as in a clinical inspection field, from the standpoints of high treatment efficiency for a number of specimens (samples) and an high safety for an inflection prevention of an inspector, it is desirable to carry out automatically a series of processes.
Such a series of processes are a sample tube transportation process after a receipt of the sample tube, a pre-treatment process including a centrifugal separation process for the sample, an analysis treatment for the sample, and a data treatment process for analyzing data for the sample.
Within the above stated various processes in the conventional sample centrifugal separation analysis system, an automated operation for the centrifugal separation process for the sample is delayed extremely. In general, the sample tube receiving the sample therein is transported to the sample centrifugal separation section through a manual working operation, and after the finish of the centrifugal separation for the sample in the centrifugal separation section, the sample tube is transported to a next sample analysis (test) section, and at this time the mounting and the disengagement for the sample tube to the holder of the centrifugal separation apparatus is carried out also through a manual working operation.
Recently, for solving the above stated manual working operation in the conventional sample centrifugal separation analysis system, for example as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 154662/1983, a sample centrifugal separation apparatus is installed in an automatic analysis system, and includes automation for the mounting and the disengagement of the sample tube to the sample centrifugal separator, and automation for aliquotting the centrifugally separated sample.
Further, for example as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 236966/1988, in a transportation process for the sample tube, an automation technique for a pre-treatment process an analysis employs not the centrifugal separation, but a plane membrane system separation for the sample.
Namely, in the former prior art, the sample centrifugal separation apparatus comprises a rotative vertical shaft, a motor for driving the rotative shaft, a horizontal rotor means disposed on the upper portion of the rotative shaft, and a holder for holding a sample tube. The holder is mounted on a tip of the rotor means and is disposed separately parallel to the rotative shaft. The sample in the sample tube is centrifugally separated by the rotation of the holder.
In this kind of centrifugal separation system for the sample shown in the former prior art, in the automation technique in which the centrifugal separation for the sample is employed as the pre-treatment process, further carrying consideration is paid to carried out automatically the mounting and the disengagement for the sample tube to the sample centrifugal separator through the holder.
However, since the holder of the sample centrifugal separator turns and displaces around the rotative shaft, in a case that the sample tube is mounted to and is disengagement from the holder, it is necessary to stop the sample centrifugal separator and to stop the holder each every time.
Further, in the latter prior art, the pre-treatment process and the sample analysis (test) process are carried out automatically through a belt conveyer means. A plane membrane system automatic blood plasma separation apparatus is employed as the pre-treatment apparatus. The sample in the latter prior art is not separated centrifugally.
Even though the automation technique for the centrifugal separation for the sample is contrived in the conventional sample centrifugal separation analysis system, the centrifugal separation for the sample stops intermittently during the replacement of the sample tube at the sample centrifugal separation section. Accordingly, there are points to be improved for the realization of a rapid automatic analysis treatment for the sample in the conventional sample centrifugal separation analysis system.